how long can i guest spot in another california county?

up to 5 days in a row, and 15 days total in a calendar year, on your current california registration. after that, register with the county you're working in.

do i need to register to guest spot in los angeles if i'm from out of state?

yes. out-of-state artists register with the county before their first day, and you can only tattoo at a shop with its own health permit.

how do i ask a tattoo shop for a guest spot?

send one short message a month or two ahead: who you are, your style, your dates, that you're registered, and one link to your work.

how do guest spot deals usually work?

most are either a percentage split, where the shop keeps a cut of each tattoo, or a flat chair fee per day. agree on it in writing before you go.

how do i fill my guest spot week?

post your dates about two weeks out, draw a flash sheet with fixed prices, take deposits for every slot, and list on goodwork so socal clients can find you.

tattoo guest spots in socal: rules, deals, booking

the short version

5days in a row is the most you can guest in another california county on your own county's registration.
15days total a year, across all your guest trips in other counties.
14days out is a good time to post your dates, so the week is booked before you land.

the 5 and 15 day rule is from the los angeles county registration form, checked october 9, 2026. this isn't legal advice. confirm with the county you're visiting before you go.

the basics

a guest spot is a short stay at someone else's shop

you work out of another shop for a few days, usually in a city where you don't live. the shop gives you a station and its health permit. you bring your clients, your flash and your setup.

it's the quickest way to meet clients in a new city. lots of artists use it to test a city before they move there.

the rules

you can guest up to 5 days in a row on your own registration

if you're registered in one california county, you can tattoo in another california county without registering again. there are limits.

days in a row, max, per trip.

days total a year in other counties.

registered in californiaup to 5 days in a row, 15 a year, at a permitted shopok

staying longer than thatregister with the county you're working inregister

coming from out of stateregister with that county before your first dayregister

tattooing at a conventionconventions have their own permits. see the county events pageevent permit

source: los angeles county registration form and body art events faq.

what to do with this

only tattoo inside a shop that has its own health permit. ask the shop to confirm before you book flights.
keep a note of your guest days. the 15 a year adds up fast if you travel a lot.
coming from out of state? register first. our los angeles county guide walks you through it.

new to registering? the los angeles county registration guide has every document and the $54 fee.

getting one

ask the shop with one short message

shops get a lot of guest requests. the ones that get a yes are short and make it easy to say yes. send it to the shop's email or instagram, a month or two before you want to come.

copy this

hi! i'm [name], a [style] tattoo artist from [city]. i love the work coming out of your shop.

i'm hoping to guest in [city] around [dates], about [3 to 5] days. i'm registered in california and i bring my own setup and clients.

my work: [link]. would you have a station free? happy to work with whatever setup you usually do for guests.

thanks, [name]

what to do with this

link to one clean page of your work, not a long highlight reel.
pick shops whose style sits close to yours. their clients are already your kind of client.
if you hear nothing, one friendly follow-up a week later is plenty.

the money

most guest deals are a split or a flat chair fee

every shop does it a little differently. these are the two you'll see most.

percentage splitthe shop keeps a cut of what you make. you pay more on a busy week and less on a slow one%

flat chair feeyou pay the shop a set amount per day. everything above it is yours$/day

ask what's included: supplies, front desk, deposits, cleaning. agree on it in writing before you go.

which one should i pick?

if you already have a full week booked, a flat fee usually leaves you more. if you're not sure the week will fill, a split is lower risk, because you only pay when you tattoo.

filling it

book the week before you get there

a guest spot works best when you show up with your chair already full. start about two weeks out.

1post your datesthe city, the shop, and the exact days. pin it, and put it in your stories more than once.
2draw a guest flash sheetsmall and medium pieces with fixed prices. people say yes faster when they see the price.
3take depositsa deposit holds each slot, so the week doesn't fall apart. our deposit policy guide has a generator.
4get found by people who don't follow you yetlist on goodwork so socal clients looking for your style can find you and book.

the deposit policy guide writes your policy for you. goodwork is free to list, and takes 15% only on the first booking of a new client it finds for you.

on goodwork

fill your guest spot before you get there

free to list. 15% only on the first booking of a new client goodwork finds for you. repeat clients and your own link are 0%.

list free on goodwork

before you go

a quick checklist

pack and confirm

your california registration, or a new one if you're from out of state.
the shop confirmed your station and your dates in writing.
the deal agreed: split or chair fee, and what's included.
your bloodborne pathogen certificate and setup.
deposits taken for every booked slot.
a few open spots left for walk-ins and last-minute flash.

thinking about staying for good? read moving to socal as a tattoo artist. going for a convention instead? the socal convention calendar has dates and permits.

not legal advice. rules can change, and some cities run their own health departments. check with the county or city you're visiting.